To celebrate the official expansion of CASA of East Central Wisconsin into Sheboygan County, the Wisconsin Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association delivered suitcases from its My Stuff, My Bag program to Sheboygan County Health and Human Services on Monday, Jan. 24. Sheboygan County was added to CASA of East Central Wisconsin, joining Manitowoc County, in August 2021 and is one of 14 Wisconsin counties to be served by a CASA program.

My Stuff, My Bag, which launched in 2019 with the help of the Green Bay Packers Give Back Celebrity Bowling event, provides suitcases to children removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. Each suitcase is filled with hygiene and personal care items, such as pajamas, socks, a pillow and toiletries.

New Advocate training begins the week of February 21, is free, online, and takes roughly 30 hours before volunteers become sworn in by a judge, followed by six hours of continuing education annually. Advocates are then assigned a CASA child or family of children, whom they meet with for about an hour a week, getting to know the children, their situation and their inner circle of support. Advocates then report back to the judge overseeing the child’s case, sharing what they’ve observed and the child’s  wishes regarding their case. 

For more information about CASA of East Central Wisconsin or those interested in becoming an Advocate, visit casaecw.org, contact Julie Ribley via email julier@casaeastcentralwi.org or call (920) 323-8141. Follow CASA of East Central Wisconsin on Facebook, @ManitowocCASA.